Little Egret Breeds in NE Scotland for First Time
A first for Forvie National Nature Reserve in Aberdeenshire
Little Egret has bred in north-east Scotland for the first time, with four chicks fledging at Forvie National Nature Reserve in Aberdeenshire. It is thought to be the UK’s most northerly Little Egret breeding record, showing the species is continuing to move north.
The birds were spotted in the reserve’s heronry, where they had built a simple nest and raised four well-grown chicks.
Once mainly associated with the Mediterranean, Little Egret is now well established in Britain, though Scottish breeding records remain scarce. The Forvie nest was unusually late, starting about two months after the usual breeding season. The species first bred in the UK in 1996 and in Scotland in 2020. Britain now has an estimated 1,500–2,000 pairs.
The family formed part of a count of 17 Little Egrets at Forvie. Their spread reflects wider wildlife shifts linked to climate change, which may help some species, but put others under pressure.
Forvie National Nature Reserve is at Forvie, Collieston, Ellon AB41 8RU, about 31 miles from The Station Hotel Insch, or roughly 50 minutes by car, so it would be very easy to visit while you’re staying with us.
Thanks to birdsguide.com, Forvie NNR and NatureScot for the information used here.
Image of a Little Egret feeding in Cyprus courtesy of Charles Clark, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0
